Freight forwarders in the Nigerian maritime sector have called on the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to investigate shipping companies in sector over alleged refusal to refund container deposit fees directly to the clearing agents.
The freight forwarders claimed that their companies usually sign indemnity clause with their importers and that all transactions are made in the name of the freight forwarding agency.
Freight forwarders in the Nigerian maritime sector have called on the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to investigate shipping companies in sector over alleged refusal to refund container deposit fees directly to the clearing agents.
The freight forwarders claimed that their companies usually sign indemnity clause with their importers and that all transactions are made in the name of the freight forwarding agency.
They however lamented that, shipping companies usually refuse to refund the container deposits, rather they pay to the importer directly.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily at the PTML Terminal last week, Vice chairman of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Mr. George Okafor said that this was a new means through which shipping companies have been defrauding agents.
He lamented that freight forwarders are often penalized whenever the importer commits an offense or refuses to pay correct duties, but when it is time to refund container deposits, they demand to pay to the importer.
Speaking further, he said: "The shipping companies give a lot of conditions, the one we are looking now is indemnity to agencies, when they give the importer an indemnity, he may not return the container as at when due, they will now blacklist the agents, meanwhile they also know the importer".
Should an importer refuse to return a container, the agent according to him, is forced to pay for the container.
"It has been happening, but this time around, it is taking a new dimension, they will be counting demurrage on the container that you are looking for, the demurrage is progressive, after paying for all this, you still pay for the container which amounts to double payment"
Breaking down the analysis, Okafor revealed that a 20-foot container is usually paid for by the agent to the tune of N800,000, while the 40 foot is N1Million and above.
Also confirming this, the Vice Chairman of ANLCA, Tin Can chapter, Barr. Ada Akpunonu lambasted the shipping companies, saying that whenever they want to collect their container deposit fund, they don't care who brought the money.
According to her, "when the agents is making payments in his agency name, the shipping companies do not see anything wrong, but when you want to collect back your container deposit, they will insist that it must be in the name of the principal, most of them are not even based in Nigeria, most of the time they don't even give you this container deposit money, we had to use our money" she said.
She however said that freight forwarders cannot remove the clause to their importer because this is the contractual obligation between agents and your client.
"They hold on to the container deposit for a long time in order for them to do business with it"
"These shipping companies are making a lot of money on the container deposit, I am also telling you that there are so many hidden charges inclusive" she said.
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